Stakeholders urge youth to diversify for job opportunities

With the workplace becoming more flexible, youths have been advised to be more versatile and continue to equip themselves for different work environment for employers’ quick choice, because the more they diversify, the more likely the opportunities for a better situation.

At the gathering of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) stakeholders in Lagos, targeted at youths looking to start or develop their career in finance, accounting, management and/or the ACCA qualification, it was emphasised that for them to be relevant at the workplace, they must possess the skills employers are looking for.

Director, UK and Nigeria, Transquisite Consulting Group, Jennifer Oyelade, who spoke on, “Become a future-ready talent”, told the participants that employers are looking for those who have diversified their efforts to educate themselves, urging them to learn new things.

Noting that opportunities are best when they are created and not given, Oyelade said: “Getting jobs is based on expatiating your experience. There is nothing like a two-page Curriculum Vitae (CV). By the time you expatiate on all your experiences during your undergraduate days, it will be more than a two-page CV. If a company is interested in hiring, no matter how long your CV is, they will read it. Some jobseekers will say when they get to interview they will explain, but if your CV is not looking it, how will you get to the interview to explain? Employers are looking for those who have diversified their efforts to educate themselves. Go out there and learn new things outside the classroom and diversify.”

Head, ACCA Nigeria, Tom Isibor, noted that for those who want to progress in their career, they must be continuous learners on how to add value to themselves.

He said the experience gathered are what they will build on and further improve themselves to become future-ready talents, adding that  “Our basis module has to do with recruiting students, developing them and they become members.

This is our stage one process; we engage them for future members for global competitiveness.“We are also very hard on capability development, understanding that the world is a global village. The Nigerian students are not competing within themselves anymore but with a wider audience. There is the need for them to know those they are competing with and what sort of skillsets employers expect from them,” he said.

The summit provided an avenue for the participants to meet with potential employers, gain interview skills, review their CVs, and receive guidance to help with their career choice and development.